2019-2020 Montreal Season Unveiled

Published on February 28, 2019

2019–2020 MONTREAL SEASON UNVEILED

Quebec City, February 28, 2019 – It is with great pleasure that Les Violons du Roy music director Jonathan Cohen, executive director Hugo Sanschagrin, and head of artistic administration Laurent Patenaude present the 2019 2020 season of Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec. Highlights of the new season, put together in collaboration with founding conductor Bernard Labadie, the orchestra’s musicians, and a roster of well-known guest artists, include three grand concerts featuring some of the greatest works in the choral repertoire, the return of flamboyant recorder virtuoso Maurice Steger, and a first-time visit from leading mezzo soprano Christine Rice. Quebec artists such as Stéphane Tétreault, Hélène Guilmette, Jean-François Lapointe, Mélanie Léonard, and Hélène Dorion also feature prominently in the programming of the Maison symphonique and Soirées Arte Musica series.

Maison symphonique series

Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec will share the stage for three major concert events at Maison symphonique de Montréal in 2019 2020. First, to kick off the season, Jonathan Cohen will lead the orchestra and choir in three Magnificats by members of the Bach dynasty as part of the Montreal Bach Festival. Then, it’s Bernard Labadie’s turn at the podium, conducting the signature work of Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec—Handel’s Messiah. And last, in a program that melds sobriety with spiritual grandeur, Maestro Labadie will lead the orchestra and choir again in a performance pairing the Fauré and Durufle requiems. The choristers will be joined in the course of the season by some of the best voices from near and far, including Lydia Teuscher, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Hélène Guilmette, and Jean-François Lapointe.

Delightful discoveries and eagerly awaited return visits

As part of the Soirées Arte Musica series, the concert Amours tragiques, under the direction of Jonathan Cohen, will showcase the heavenly voice of mezzo-soprano Christine Rice, making her Les Violons du Roy debut with a selection of richly dramatic works by Rameau, Handel, Purcell, and Britten. The 2019-2020 season also gives the orchestra an opportunity to expand their repertoire, notably with Vivaldi’s La Senna festeggiante, a splendid but rarely heard serenade, as well as a new piece by Quebec composer Simon Bertrand, inspired by writer Hélène Dorion. In another first, Les Violons du Roy will welcome conductor Mélanie Léonard, directing a program of northern compositions that includes the Canadian premier of Klātbūtne (Presence) for cello and string orchestra by Pēteris Vasks, with cellist Stéphane Tétreault.

Conductor and recorder player Maurice Steger will return to lead the orchestra in a selection of dazzling virtuoso works as part of the concert Un banquet baroque avec Maurice Steger. Lastly, as part of the complete cycle of Bach cantatas presented by Arte Musica, the musicians of the orchestra will perform three of Johann Sebastian Bach’s cantatas in an intimate concert under the baton of Jonathan Cohen.

A new disc with Charles Richard-Hamelin

Next summer, reputed pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin will join Les Violons du Roy to record Mozart’s Piano Concertos No. 22 and 24 under the direction of Jonathan Cohen in Raoul Jobin Hall at Palais Montcalm - Maison de la musique in Quebec City. The disc is scheduled for release on the Analekta label in March 2020.

Les Violons du Roy’s season at Maison symphonique de Montréal is presented by La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services.

“La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services has been supporting major artistic and cultural events for years. Moments like these bring people together to share moving experiences that instill a sense of well-being—a core value at La Capitale. By partnering with the Les Violons du Roy Montreal program, we hope to help enrich our artistic community and introduce more people to the work of this renowned musical institution,” said Marie-Josée Guérette, Executive Vice-President, Public Affairs and Corporate Outreach at La Capitale.

About La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services

Founded in 1940, La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services has a strong presence across Quebec and throughout Canada. With over 2,740 employees, La Capitale builds on mutualist values to help clients grow, protect, and manage the assets that are vital to their financial security. It provides insurance products and financial services to the general public as well as Québec’s public service employees. With $7.1 billion in assets, La Capitale occupies a choice position among leading insurers in Canada. As a major socioeconomic player in Québec, La Capitale is a force for cultural and social vitality across the province and is actively involved in numerous events and organizations.

NEW: Single tickets for concerts in the Maison symphonique series go on sale February 28, 2019. Tickets for the Soirée Arte Musica series go on sale March 28, 2019.